River Management

Historically, rivers have received relatively little attention in terms of conservation. Unlike their wetland counterparts, who are often found in protected areas, rivers are hard to conserve due to their dynamic nature and role they play in so many human activities.

Despite this, rivers remain of huge importance and value to biodiversity and must be managed to unlock and maintain the ecosystem services that they deliver. Rivers can be places of great beauty and enjoyment – walking alongside a gleaming chalk stream, in full chorus, in the limited English sun can be a truly enlightening experience. England is unique in owning these stunning chalk streams and we are privileged to have many of our own in CamEO.

The images below show the physical, chemical and biological processes that work in unison to sculpt river habitats. We’re dedicated to protecting and restoring these processes to make rivers a treat for all the senses; a place where anyone and everyone can escape the stresses of modern life.

Rivers form the backbone of the CamEO partnership. They provide the vibrant habitats that are enjoyed for recreational activities, support transport links, provide water for drinking, irrigation, industry and wildlife, support a range of globally unique biodiversity, help to minimise flood risk and can even be used to create power. Despite this, our rivers have been abused and as it stands only 10% of rivers in East Anglia can be considered in good condition! The rest are being affected by a number of inputs which we all have a responsibility to reduce – click here to find out more.